Flying machine



May 13, 1930. P. McG, BRUCE 1,758,556

FLYING MACHINE Fi i ed Nov. 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 13, 1930. 55, BRUCE 1,758,556

FLYING MACHINE Filed NOV. 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a y z Patented May 13, 1930 FFHCE PETER MOG'UFFIE BRUCE, 0F LOGHHILL, AULDGIRTH, SCOTLAND FLYING- MACHINE Application filed November 4, 1926, Serial No. 146,266, and in Great Britain November 6, 1925.

This invention relates to a flying machine with a plane propelled lengthwise by means of a propeller placed in a suitable position at one end of the plane, a rudder placed in a suitable position at the other end and a suitable undercarriage, ancl chiefly relates to machines of a self-balancing type, with parts that may be brought into operation as means of control if, or when, desired. According to this invention, the plane is comprised of two sections approximately of the same size which are hinged together so that the plane will be flexible across the longitudinal centre, and along the transverse centre, and is curved upwards so as to form a cavity along the longitudinal centre having its greatest depth at the front edge of the plane and gradually merging into a fiat rear end; and is so made and shaped for the purpose of balancing conjointly with the assembly of the fuselage, undercarriage rudder, fin, propeller, and means of power (man power, motor power, or both). These are disposed along the longitudinal centre of the plane so that the greater part of their weight will be lower than the longitudinal centre of the plane and their positions are such that they can effectually fulfil their respective purposes, their weight being distributed so that the fore part of the machine will have greater gravity than the rear part. Owing to the curvature ofthe plane being mostly at the front edge, and the fuselage with undercarriage being connected to the fore section of the plane with their greater weight at a lower level acting on the curvature shape of the plane, the latter will maintain its transverse equilibrium; and the forepart of the plane having greater gravity than the rear part will maintain the longitudinal equilibrium horizontally while under power of the propeller.

When loss of power occurs, the fore end will lead in a forward and downward direction, owing to its greater gravity, the greater length than width of the plane, the lift given to the fore end by the curvature shape of the plane and the angle of the rear section, which may be elevated and set at a self-balancing degree, or may be continually under control of the pilot.

The wheels are of the disc pattern and are under control of the pilot for use when the machine is running along the ground, and may be used as a means of lateral control if, or when desired; or used conjointly with the rudder to aid in turning.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is a side view partly in section, with part of the plane removed.

Fig. 2 is a view of the upper surface of the plane.

Fig. 3 cross section of the plane.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of part of the control mechanism of the plane.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section showing the control mechanism for elevating and lowering the rear section of the plane.

Fig. 6 side hinge between fore and rear sections.

a fore section of the plane.

6 rear section of the plane.

0 side hinges between fore and rear sections.

d centre hinge between fore and rear sections.

f rudder.

9 top of car or fuselage.

h cock-pit for pilot.

j door opening in the plane to allow door being opened into car or cock-pit.

7c nose of fuselage extending in front of the front edge of plane to allow free operation of propeller.

Z propeller.

m propeller shaft parallel to the longitudinal centre line of fore section of plane.

a straight side edges.

0 straight rear end edge.

3) front edge of plane curved upwards forming a cavity on the upper side of plane anal gradually flattending out into a flat rear en g rounded edges, or ends, of fore and rear sections to allow free operation of hinges.

1 r position of plane along the side of fuseage.

s centre line of rear section.

If skid or rudder edge.

u wheels.

00 braces from plane to bottom of fuselage.

y braces for side hinges.

.2 hinge for rudder.

The numeral 4 shows vertical supports on the rear section.

5 are the braces from the ends of support 4 to near the rear of the plane.

6 are the wire cables for operating the rear section on its hinges. The cables are fastended to the tubular shaft 7 and are wound a few times around the shaft so that when the shaft is operated it will take up the cables on the one side and let them out on the other. The ends of the cables are fastened to the ends of supports 4.

7 is a tubular shaft which passes through the sides of the fuselage in front of the pilots seat and to which is connected at the centre a worm wheel 9 which is engaged by a worm screw 10 set on the shaft of the hand wheel 11. By this means the rear section may be moved up or down for elevating or lowering the machine without the machine losing its self-balancing advantage, unless it is lowered below a straightened position and kept there too long. It is unnecessary to have the rear section lower or even down to a straightened out position. Nevertheless the machine may be piloted with the rear section lower than in line with the fore section, and this may be done to advantage when it is desired to land gently on the spot without running along the ground, the rear section acting as a brake, and with the forward movement of the machine and the action of the propeller the air is compressed under the machine and a bird-like landing eflected. In preparing to make such a landing, the machine should be straightened out at a climbing angle before the rear end is lowered.

A flight may be started in either of two ways.

(1) The machine may be set with both sections in line with each other or with the rear section slightly raised, then the machine is run along the ground until its speed causes it to rise into the air.

(2) The machine may be set with the fore section pointing up into the air at a steep angle and resting on its wheels and skid with the hinged centre close to the ground. Then with the propeller going at full speed or less the machine will rise right off the spot. Immediately it begins to rise the rear section should be lowered until the machine maintains a horizontal position. The landing may be effected either as already described or by volplaning down and running along the ground.

The rudder is controlled by a hand wheel 15 which is set on the side of the fuselage at the right of the pilots seat and to which is connected a cable 12 which is connected to a cross bar 13 on rudder and passes through eyelets 14 at hinged centre and through eyelets on the side of the fuselage and through tubular shaft 7.

The wheels are controlled conjointly with the rudder by a cable 15 passing through tubular shaft and through eyelets 011 the sides of the fuselage and connected to levers projecting from the axles of the wheels. The cables 12 controlling the rudder and those controlling the wheels are linked together inside the tubular shaft. Independent control may be had by having the cables disconnected and the cable controlling the wheels passing through holes in the sides of the fuselage behind the pilots seat, instead of through tubular shaft, and connected to an independent lever or handwheel.

The rear section is not supposed to swing on its hinges for self-balancing. It is held rigid by the control cables of the rear section when it is on the ground or in flight, and can be moved only by the operation of the hand wheel by the pilot.

I claim as my invention l. A flying machine having for its lifting surface a plane made in two sections approximately of the same size and hinged together so as to form a plane of greater length than Width with a concavity along the longitudinal centre facing upwards and of greater depth at the end in the direction of flight and gradually merging into a flat rear end.

2. A flying machine formed of rigid front 1 and rear lifting sections of approximately equal width hinged to one another for relative movement about a horizontal axis transverse to the direction of travel of the machine, said sections together having greater length than width, the rear section having a lifting surface at least half as large as that of the front section, and means connecting said sections and operable selectively from a point on one of said sections for varying the angle between said sections.

3. A flying machine formed of rigid front and rear lifting sections of approximately equal width hinged to one another along a horizontal transverse axis, the rear section having a lifting surface at least half as large as that of the front section, a rudder device secured to the rear section, the upper surfaces of said sections being concave and decreasing progressively in degree of concavity from front to rear of the combined sections, and means connecting said sections for holding them in any selected angular relation and permitting selective variation in said angular relation.

4. A flying machine having an upwardly concave approximately continuous lifting portion, the concavity extending transversely of the direction of flight and varying progressively from a maximum depth of con 244. AERONAUTICS cavity at the forward end to a minimum at the rear end, said lifting portion being divided transversely adjacent its central portion into two sections with hingedly connected adjacent edges.

5. A flying machine having a front section formed of a fuselage and wings extending from said fuselage, and a rear section hinged about a horizontal axis upon the rear of the front section, of approximately the same width as, but greater than half the size of the front section, and forming a continuation thereof, said wings being concave transversely of the direction of flight, and

decreasing in degree of concavity in a direction from front to rear, a rudder carried by the rear section, controls for the rudder extending to the fuselage, and means operable from the fuselage for controlling and vary- 29 ing the dihedral angle between said sections.

PETER MGGUF FIE BRUCE. 

